Comments on: Fan collects 800 signatures for Trader Joe’s zoning hearinghttp://blog.timesunion.com/business/group-plans-big-presence-at-trader-joes-hearing/53658/
Business, media, technology and more in the Capital Region and beyondTue, 31 Mar 2015 21:40:07 +0000hourly1http://wordpress.org/?v=3.8.3By: Old Sodhttp://blog.timesunion.com/business/group-plans-big-presence-at-trader-joes-hearing/53658/comment-page-1/#comment-67659
Sun, 06 May 2012 14:21:54 +0000http://blog.timesunion.com/business/?p=53658#comment-67659Trader Joe’s (and Whole Foods) coming to do business in the Capitol Region is a delight for us – we’ve shopped them both on the West coast for years and its made a positive difference in the quality of food on our table in addition to our home-grown and / or local produce. That the TOC’s variance granted for TJ’s was unanimous is some good indication that we have some sensible and responsible folks representing our common interests in a positive way: local support, local jobs, guality of life increase and an addition to the tax rolls…. Let’s not forget to shop our “locals” in exchange, though. Honest Weight Coop and our home-grown Farmers Markets have been with us for years providing the best they could and deserve continued patronage.
The next issue to deal with (which starts at the local level) is revising the LIQUOR sales licensing business in the state of NY that would allow legit businesses like TJ’s (and Hannafords, Wal-Mart and yes, all “Boxes” great and small) to sell if they so chose regardless of “private” protectionist concerns. Bringing NY out of the Dark Ages with its faked higher-moral-ground, Prohibitionist front and delivering us all from the political corruption that relies on the liquor industry for funding of political agenda needs to happen, the sooner the better. Any student of history around here knows this is true. Where we buy our wine and spirits with OUR money is OUR business, not theirs. A fundamental of capitalism is free market for all, not just free market for SOME.
]]>By: Gunther D Nortonhttp://blog.timesunion.com/business/group-plans-big-presence-at-trader-joes-hearing/53658/comment-page-1/#comment-67630
Sat, 05 May 2012 21:49:02 +0000http://blog.timesunion.com/business/?p=53658#comment-67630If we could get people this excited about gas drilling we may get some real good paying jobs
]]>By: Star Striderhttp://blog.timesunion.com/business/group-plans-big-presence-at-trader-joes-hearing/53658/comment-page-1/#comment-67503
Fri, 04 May 2012 22:12:38 +0000http://blog.timesunion.com/business/?p=53658#comment-67503I was at the meeting. The zoning board approved the variance request unaimously.

Why do people see conspiracies when there is none? At least not in this case.

By the way, my GF asked the Trader Joe rep at that meeting when they are ready to open and he said “summer”. Heard the whole exchange with my own ears and saw all this with my own eyes.

]]>By: bocusehttp://blog.timesunion.com/business/group-plans-big-presence-at-trader-joes-hearing/53658/comment-page-1/#comment-67501
Fri, 04 May 2012 20:08:52 +0000http://blog.timesunion.com/business/?p=53658#comment-67501Mike – Thanks for the laugh. We’re supposed to thank he Town of Colonie officials for landing TJs and WF? Wow. I’m pretty sure that Columbia Development and Sears are the ones who brought them to town. The only thing the Town of Colonie contributes to businesses is endless red tape and steep fees for building permits and the like.
]]>By: JoJohttp://blog.timesunion.com/business/group-plans-big-presence-at-trader-joes-hearing/53658/comment-page-1/#comment-67500
Fri, 04 May 2012 19:40:27 +0000http://blog.timesunion.com/business/?p=53658#comment-67500This is great news. I enjoy shopping in Trader Joe’s stores when I travel to other cities. When my son comes to visit from Hartford, we always ask him to bring some of our Trader Joe’s favorites with him.

The only thing is I hope that Trader Joe’s contributes to the community once it’s here, the way that Price Chopper does (and the Golub family foundation). So far, Aldi, which is a sister company of Trader Joe’s (they’re both operated by German mega-corp Aldi, short for “ALbrecht DIscount), doesn’t seem to put back into the community. And, truthfully, neither does Hannaford that much (they’re owned by the Delhaize Group, a Belgian company).

Hannaford happens to be my big supermarket of choice, yet each time I shop there I think I should be supporting Price Chopper, which puts so much money back into our community–yet I just like the selection, pricing, and customer service at my local Hannaford. It’s a shame the big groceries other than Price Chopper are owned by conglomerates not based here–foreign ones, at that.

Maybe Aldi and Trader Joe’s can pool their resources locally to support community activities.

As far as Whole Foods goes, I see they’re based in Austin, TX. We got Sematech and some smaller companies to move here from Austin–maybe we can get Whole Foods to move their HQ here! Yeah, that’s the ticket! Let’s start working on it! As we’re beginning to learn, never say never! This area’s definitely on the upswing.

]]>By: Sharonhttp://blog.timesunion.com/business/group-plans-big-presence-at-trader-joes-hearing/53658/comment-page-1/#comment-67496
Fri, 04 May 2012 18:15:51 +0000http://blog.timesunion.com/business/?p=53658#comment-67496So, any word on an opening date?
]]>By: Kathyhttp://blog.timesunion.com/business/group-plans-big-presence-at-trader-joes-hearing/53658/comment-page-1/#comment-67494
Fri, 04 May 2012 18:06:56 +0000http://blog.timesunion.com/business/?p=53658#comment-67494Larry Rulison, I don’t know what you observe before writing your column, but where Trader Joe’s is going was Office Max not Office Depot. Hey #9…..look at the location again and see that Trader Joe’s is to the left of Sleepy’s.
]]>By: Niskayunanhttp://blog.timesunion.com/business/group-plans-big-presence-at-trader-joes-hearing/53658/comment-page-1/#comment-67491
Fri, 04 May 2012 17:14:13 +0000http://blog.timesunion.com/business/?p=53658#comment-67491Alice – The building has room for three stores. The mattress store is one of those slots. TJ’s is the second slot. I forget what the third is off-hand, except that it does indeed have a tenant moving in.
]]>By: Skipjackhttp://blog.timesunion.com/business/group-plans-big-presence-at-trader-joes-hearing/53658/comment-page-1/#comment-67489
Fri, 04 May 2012 15:42:42 +0000http://blog.timesunion.com/business/?p=53658#comment-67489Great news on the variance being granted. Now, on to the opening!
]]>By: Mikehttp://blog.timesunion.com/business/group-plans-big-presence-at-trader-joes-hearing/53658/comment-page-1/#comment-67476
Fri, 04 May 2012 13:47:37 +0000http://blog.timesunion.com/business/?p=53658#comment-67476Really, Debbie? You mean that Town that got Trader Joes and Whole Foods to come in the first place??

Come on – stop hiding behind that little R after your name and realize that the Town of Colonie is doing a great job.